The Cape Verdean Defense Minister, Janine Lélis, said on Monday that “very concrete steps” have already been taken to acquire an aircraft by the country, which is preparing the creation of the Military Aviation Authority with the support of Portugal.
Portugal will support Cape Verde in the creation of the Military Aviation Authority. “We will be strongly supported by Portugal in the implementation of this military aeronautical authority, the Air Force will be supporting us, as well as for the drafting and conclusion of the military programming law,” said the minister at a press conference in Praia, to announce the beginning of the reform process of the Armed Forces of Cape Verde.
“We have a very strong bilateral cooperation underway in which we are given technical assistance to elaborate the issues that are essential for us and whose national competences sometimes are not abundant,” added the minister.
For the minister, the acquisition of the aircraft for the Coast Guard is “essential and fundamental” to reinforce the forces, in a process that will be done through ASA, the company that manages Cape Verdean airports, according to a resolution published in June.
As part of the reform, the government also intends to review the Strategic Defense Concept, in force since 2011, but whose framework has changed since then, noted the minister.
And as changes she pointed out the economic crises, health, climate change, cyber attacks, increase in piracy and terrorism, international trafficking, geopolitical tensions and the impacts of the war in Ukraine.
“The internal security context itself has changed and these are some of the reasons that justify the need to review the Strategic Defense Concept,” continued the minister, for whom these challenges threaten the rule of law, so it requires the strengthening of institutions, particularly the Armed Forces.
The redefinition of the framework structure of the Armed Forces, the identification of military specialties essential to the fulfillment of missions, the building of a military information service and the implementation of the military programming law are other points of the reform of the Cape Verdean military institution.
For all these measures, the minister foresees an increase of funds in the State Budget for 2023 for Defense, and specifically for the Armed Forces, which have been demanding more resources to be able to develop their activities and respond to the country’s challenges.